Inflatable berth

ABSTRACT

AN INFLATABLE BERTH FOR COVERING THE WATER-SUBMERGED PORTION OF A BOAT HULL, COMPRISING AN INFLATABLE, WATERPROOF, FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE, HAVING A QUILTED INTERIOR SURFACE ADAPTED TO GENERALLY CONFORM TO THE CONFIGURATION OF A BOAT HULL, AND MEANS FOR INFLATING THE ENVELOPE FOR CLOSE CONTACT OF THE QUILTED SURFACE WITH THE BOAT HULL WHEREBY TO ENTRAIN WATER AGAINST THE HULL FOR STAGNATION OF THE ENTRAINED WATER.

March 16, 1971 K THQMPSQN 3,570,256

INFLATABLE BERTH Filed July 15, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

KENNETH L. THOMPSON March 16, 1971 THOMPSON 3,570,256

INFLATABLE BERTH Filed July 15, 1969 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

KENNETH L. THOMPSON FIG 5 United States Patent O 3,570,256 INFLATABLEBERTH Kenneth L. Thompson, Huntington Beach, Calif., assignor to Ye DockMaster, Inc. Filed July 15, 1969, Ser. No. 841,704 Int. Cl. B63c 1/00;E02c 3/00 U.S. CI. 61-48 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE FIELD OFTHE INVENTION The field of art to which the invention pertains includesthe field of ships, particularly berths therefor.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides aprotective device for use on a water craft which is moored in salt waterfor any length of time. Such mooring results in marine growth on thehull necessitating periodic haulout for cleaning. The present inventionmaintains the boat hull clean from such marine growth and can replacepresentday boat baths. The invention operates to adhere a protectiveenvelope of waterproof material against the hull and, by means of aplurality of indentations generally distributed on the contactingsurface, to entrain water in small, localized pockets against the hull.The entrained water prevents drying out of wooden hulls and readilystagnates to preclude the development of marine growth without requiringchemical treatment.

The envelope is constructed of flexible, inflatable, water proofmaterial and has an interior surface adapted to generally conform to theconfiguration of a boat hull. Means are provided for defining aplurality of water entraining indentations generally distributed overthe interior surface, and means are provided for inflating the envelopefor close contact of the interior surface with the boat hull.

In specific embodiments, a plurality of interconnected compartments areformed within the inflatable material resulting in the aforenotedindented surface whereby fluid pressure applied to one compartment isconducted to adjacent compartments to inflate the envelope. Means areprovided for weighting the envelope for sinking thereof upon deflationso as to free the boat. The stem portion of the envelope is formed to beloose-fitting, e.g., by preventing inflation of the stern portion, so asto permit clearance of protruding propeller blades. Means are providedfor securing the envelope to a boat slip whereby a boat can be dockedand the envelope inflated thereabout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boatslip having an inflatable berth of this invention therein adhered to adocked boat;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the berth of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an inflatable berth of thisinvention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3, in thedirection of the arrows; and

Patented Mar. 16, 1971 FIG. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view onthe line 5-5 of FIG. 3, in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated adock or wharf structure .10 including piers 12 and 14 defining a boatslip 16. A boat 18 is moored in the slip 16 and has its hull protectedby an inflated berth 20 of this invention as hereinafter described. Theberth 20 is connected to the piers 12 and 14 by means of a plurality ofstuds 22 extending from the edges of the piers through eyelets 24 (shownmore clearly in FIG. 2) along the edges of the berth 20 material. Aswill be described hereinafter in more detail, the material constitutingthe berth is inflatable and forms an envelope which when inflatedadheres to the hull of the boat. Inflation is accomplished by means of acompressor 26 connected to compartments within the berth material, ashereinafter described, by means of rubber tubing 28.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the inner surface of the envelope isformed with a plurality of indentations, as a result of quilting of thematerial so that when the berth 20 is inflated, a plurality of smallpockets 30 are created adjacent the surface of the boat hull. Thesepockets entrain water and thereby prevent drying out of the hull, whichis particularly important with hulls constructed of wooden planks.Additionally, as a result of the isolation of the water into smalllocalized pools, stagnation thereof takes place to prevent the formationof marine growth on the hull, without chemical treatment being required.Further, the inflated berth serves to raise the boat from the water,rendering the boat unsinkable and additionally acts as a bumper to wardoff foreign debris and to protect the boat as it moves into and out ofcontact with the sides of the slip. The inflated berth 20 also acts as acushion against ice formation on the water surface, allowing the boat tobe moored during winter time.

The general shape of the berth 20 is depicted in FIG. 3 and a crosssectional view is shown in FIG. 4. The berth comprises a flexibleenvelope of substantially inflatable waterproof material such asplastic, rubberized fabric, or the like, integrally joined by welding,adhesives, or other suitable means to form a structure as shown. Theouter edges of the berth 20 are formed into flattened lip 32 throughwhich are placed the eyelets 24. The material constituting the main bodyof the envelope is formed to define a plurality of internal compartments34 which are interconnected whereby fluid pressure applied to onecompartment is conducted to adjacent compartments to thereby inflate theenvelope.

Referring additionally to FIG. 5, the main body of th envelope comprisesan inner surface 36 which is variously connected in quilting manner toan outer surface 38 so as to form the compartments 34. The quiltingconnection, such as at 40, can be made by welding, adhesives, stitching,or any suitable method, being careful to maintain waterproofing, and isarranged so that there is open communication, as at 42 between adjacentcompartments; the connection shown at 40 is a spot connection allowingfluid communication between adacent compartments. The compartmentalizedstructure gives rise to the generally indented surface 36 for formationof the pockets 30.

As further shown in FIG. 5, a valve member 44 is disposed between arubber inlet tube 28 and one of the top compartments 34 whereby air orother fluid may be introduced under pressure into the top compartment 34to thereby inflate the berth 20.

Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4, the stern portion of the berthenvelope, indicated generally at 46, is formed to be uninflatable so asto hang loose thereat. The stern portion entraps a pocket of water whichbecomes stagnant, but the inner surface thereof does not push up againstthe boat, thus allowing clearance for any protruding propeller blades.

A plurality of weights, such as lead weights 48 ('FIG. 4) are secured tothe berth along its bottom surface in pockets 50 formed along the bottomfor that purpose, or by other suitable means. The weights 48 enable theberth to readily fall away when deflated.

What is claimed is:

1. A berth for covering the water-submerged portion of a boat hull,comprising:

a double-walled, flexible envelope of substantially inflatable,waterproof material, the inner wall of said envelope having a surfaceadapted to generally conform to the configuration of the hull of a boat;

the surface of said inner wall defining a plurality of indentationsgenerally distributed thereover; and

means for inflating said material for close contact of said inner wallsurface with said boat hull whereby to entrain water in saidindentations against said hull for stagnation of said entrained water.

2. The berth of claim 1 wherein said inflatable material m defines aplurality of interconnected compartments whereby fluid pressure appliedto one compartment is conducted to adjacent compartments to inflate saidenvelope.

3. The berth of claim 1 including means for weighting said envelope forsinking thereof upon deflation.

4. The berth of claim 1 wherein the stern portion of said envelope isformed to be loose-fitting for clearance therein of propeller bladesprotruding from said boat.

5. The berth of claim 1 wherein the stern portion of said envelope isformed to be uninflatable for permitting clearance of propeller bladesprotruding from said boat.

6. The berth of claim 1 including means for securing said envelope to aboat slip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,907,580 10/1959 Tietig 2801793,142,283 7/1964- Fisher 114222 3,465,533 9/1969 Payne 6l-67 FOREIGNPATENTS 1,094,883 1967 Great Britain 114222 JACOB SHAPIRO, PrimaryExaminer US Cl. X.R.

